Device Details

Device Overview

'MIDI Probably' is an experimental antidote to step sequencers. (This update initialises the grids.) It provides control over the pitch, velocity, length and probability of note events, and allows you to set choices for each of these, which are then chosen from - randomly. So if you set a single pitch, then that note will play with that pitch. if you set two pitches, then each of those will be played half of the time (on average).

Some of the inspiration for Probably comes from M, some of it from RealTime, and other parts from half remembered MaxForLive (and other) sequencers and generators that I can't find on this site (or elsewhere), and some from my desire to have a step sequencer that doesn't have: just one pitch per step, a single common length for each note, fixed velocity for each note, and every note always plays.

The result is part step-sequencer, and part 'music generator'. As with all such things, it isn't perfect (and my code is far from perfect) and has a number of weird side effects that ought to be fixed, but I'm releasing it into the wild so that others with more knowledge than me can build on it and improve it. And if anyone knows how to stop the Global Transport resetting every time you recall a Preset, then I'd love to know the secret.

Some things to note:

1. When first powered up, you get an almost unusable initial state of the four grids. The screenshot is a guide to a better starting point (and yes, one day I might make it so that it starts up sensibly!). Fixed in version 0.05
2. When first powered up, you need to provide a MIDI note to it. Setting that track to record, and using the computer 'virtual' keyboard is probably the easiest way to do this (or use an external MIDI keyboard). If you don't, then you get pitches in the lowest MIDI range... You can transpose the output of Probably whilst it is playing, which opens up all sorts of live performance possibilities.
3. To capture the output, create a new MIDI track, set it to record from the one with Probably in, arm the record or this new MIDI track, and use the session record (the 'doughnut' next to 'New' at the top of the Live window).

There are four grids: (from left to right) Pitch, Probability, Velocity and Length. Four cursor lines sweep across the grids in time, and one or more squares can be set in each vertical column of the grid. A single square set on a grid (=white) will produce a single value. Multiple squares set causes them to be chosen at random. So each of four squares will be chosen a quarter of the time (25%). Each note event is independent of any other, and so the Length parameter allows you to set overlapping notes (Yes, overlapping notes in a step sequencer!).

Probably is a complex M4L device, and it provides deep control over note events. If you want a step sequencer then it can be used like that, but it also allows you do do things like:

- produce all the variations between two sets of notes (two arpeggios, for example)

- have a sequence where just a few notes vary their pitch or their probability

- control the probability of notes based on their position in time, so you could make notes on the beat more probable than notes off the beat, or any other variation

- have independent control over pitch, velocity, probability and length of each note...

Enjoy using Probably! (and please forgive me for its quirks and peculiarites). More info on using Probably can be found at: http://synthesizerwriter.blogspot.co.uk/2017/07/probably-antidote-to-step-sequencers.html

Finally a huge thanks to all of the step sequencers and music generators that have influenced me over the years.